Medicine Hat College business students and art and design students teamed up to create a slogan and graphic for the annual campaign to end period poverty.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
kking@medicinehatnews.com
Medicine Hat College’s annual campaign to end period poverty began Tuesday and will run through Nov. 17.
The campaign was first started seven years ago by MHC instructor Tara Williams, who was made aware of the need for menstruation products after making several visits to the food bank and noticing a constant shortage of such products.
“When people are looking at paying rent and buying food and they’re struggling to make those ends meet, menstruation products aren’t really high on the list to purchase,” Williams told the News.
“When people don’t have those products, they are using folded up toilet paper, newspaper and/or socks … I can’t imagine having to use (those items) and to go to work and feel confident in myself to do a good job,” she said.
In an effort to provide Hatters in need with appropriate products, Williams tasked her business marketing students with leading a campaign to end period poverty. The campaign has become an annual event in which Williams’ students team up with art and design students – led by Ian Richmond – to create a slogan and graphic for the campaign. The students then organize and promote it.
This year’s slogan is ‘Bleed with Dignity’.’
“Dignity is such a big part of it and you don’t feel much dignity and self-worth when you can’t afford appropriate menstruation products,” Williams said. “This (slogan) really speaks to empathy.
“Students are on a limited income and a limited budget and they absolutely can relate to this need.”
Even male students, Williams finds, are interested in and engaged with the topic.
“We often have a perception that men are not going to follow through on this campaign and they’re not going to buy in as much as women do, but … my male students are just as invested in this process as the female students.”
“Last year we raised just over 14,000 pounds food equivalent of menstruation products that allowed us to serve the food bank clientele as well as service the schools for an entire year,” Williams said. The goal for this year’s campaign is to meet, and hopefully exceed, that amount.
Individuals interested in contributing to the campaign can donate unopened products at Mr. Lube on Kingsway Avenue, or provide a financial donation on the Root Cellar and Wellness Hub (former Medicine Hat and District Food Bank) website. Simply specify that the donation is for menstruation products. Tax receipts are available to anyone who fills out their name and address.
Williams also encourages Hatters to like and share the campaign online.
“There’s such a stigma around menstruation, which, I think, we’ve broken down quite a bit over the years; but still, it’s totally normal and acceptable to be menstruating so showing support for this and showing that (period poverty) is a real issue … is important.”
